Apparatus for casting self-rimming sinks



Jam 14, 1969 D. E. GROTEKE ET Ax. 3,421,573

APPARATUS FOR CASTING SELF-RIMMING SINKS Filed Feb. 28. 1966 Sheetl of 2 w3. INVENTORS w N Daniel E. srmeke Harry G. Hopper Jr.

ATTORNEY sheet 2 of 2 INVENTORS Daniel E. Groteke Hurry G. Hopper, Jr. BY

ATTORNEY D. E. GROTEKE ET AL Jan. 14, 1969 l APPARATUS FOR CASTING SELF-RIMMING SINKS Filed Feb. 2S, 196e .UID

United States Patent O 3,421,573 APPARATUS FOR ICASTING SELF-RIMMING SINKS Daniel E. Groteke and Harry G. Hopper, Jr., Louisville, Ky., assignors to American Standard Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 530,646 U.S. Cl. 164-362 Int. Cl. B22c 9/ 08; B22d 35 00 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a method and apparatus for casting fixtures and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for casting self-rimming plumbing fixtures using cast iron.

In the art of casting plumbing fixtures, it has heretofore been the practice to flow the material, such as molten cast iron, down a sprue, through a runner, and then via the ingates into the mold at the edge (i.e., horizontal perimeter) of the mold cavity in which the article is to be cast. It develops, however, that following the molding of the fixture, it is then necessary to remove excess material from the rim of the article adjacent the ingate and then to smooth or round off the rim or edge of the fixture to develop a suitable 4finished product ready for enamelling.

The manufacture of self-rimming cast iron sinks, that is, sinks in which the top peripheral edge is employed as the rim without a conventional frame for joining the sink to the counter-top, has not enjoyed commercial success, although self-rimming sinks are desired by the consumer. Conventional casting techniques produce a product which requires costly grinding and polishing operations before the sink is ready for the consumer, particularly Ibecause of the amount of finishing required at the region in which the ingate meets the sink. An alternative casting technique has not been employed, because of the problems of having the ingate placed other than at a peripheral edge. For example, it has heretofore been believed that such modification would be impossible -because it would require the molten cast iron to pass through a narrow inlet into a thin mold cavity portion, then to reverse its direction of flow and subsequently to fill the remainder of the cavity. Because of the nature of cast iron it was believed that this process would normally cause the molten metal to freeze before filling the small volume behind the ingate, thereby to form an unsuitable product. It has now been discovered, however, that a self-rimming cast iron -ixture can be formed in the manner described hereinbelow.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a sprue for molten cast iron, said sprue being of a height greater than the height of the xture to be molded. The sprue leads into a hollow runner in the mold to at least one ingate or passage which feeds the molten material to the cavity of the mold at a point inwardly spaced from the rim of the cavity and contiguous to the lower end thereof. The molten material fed to the sprue is maintained at a temperature sufficiently high so that the cast iron remains molten and thereby sufficiently fluid to fill Patented Jan. 14, 1969 ICC the entire cavity of the mold. The molten material will advantageously be fed to said mold at a temperature above about 260()o F. `In addition, the mold parting-line must be positioned at the upper corner of the cavity portion of the mold at the edge of the cavity where the flange is formed.

Various objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel features particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

The invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top cross-sectional view taken on lines 1 1 of FIGURE 2 and showing a molded cast iron fixture in vthe mold cavity;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken on lines 2--2 of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing a cored ingate member formed in accordance with the invention to provide an ingate for the flow of molten cast iron into the mold cavity.

Referring now to the drawings there is provided a mold formed of a suitable material such as compacted sand, or the like, and generally designated by the numeral 10. Mold 10 is formed with a cavity 12 shown filled with a cast iron fixture. Mold 10 is comprised of two sections, a cope or female section 14 and a drag of male section 16 between which cavity y12 is situated. Cavity 12 is shown shaped to provide a flanged portion 18 with an outer edge or rim 20 as when the fixture to be molded is to be a sink, tub or other, similar article.

The cope and drag sections 14, 16 of mold 10 butt against each other at parting line 11. Where parting line 11 is adjacent the mold cavity 12 it must be at the level at which the flange portion 18 of the mold cavity 12 is at its outermost point so that the mold forming material of sections 14 and 16 extend on only one side of the mold cavity. The parting line -11 is formed at the upper corner of the rim 20 of flange 18, i.e. in the horizontal plane of the highest `portion of the edge 20 of the flange 18 of mold cavity 12 where the rim of the fixture is formed. Placement of the parting line 11 in the position referred to results in the additional advantage of allowing the rim to be formed with a curved or roundededge as shown.

Mold 10 is provided with a sprue22 adapted to be filled with a quantity of molten feed metal therein. Sprue 22 is of a height greater than the height of the fixture to be -molded so as to provide the system with sufficient hydrostatic pressure to fill the mold cavity. Sprue 22 is connected at its base to runners 28, 30 which become filled with molten cast iron when the sprue is charged. While runners 28, 30 have been shown vhaving their bottom at a level spaced above the level of the flange 18, the bottom of the runners may be eitherabove or below, but not in the. same horizontal plane as the top edge 20 of the flange 18,

A plurality of ingates 24, 26 are provided to form, in conjunction with mold section 14, passages or ingates 32, 34 adapted to pass the molten cast iron from runners 28, 30 into the cavity 12 or mold 10. While two ingates have been shown in the embodiment depicted any suitable number of such entrances for molten material can be used. A depression 23 is formed in mold portion 16 below the horizontal plane of runners 28, 30 and directly beneath hopper 22. Depression 23 functions to an over-flow well, enhancing laminar flow of the liquid metal.

Each of the ingates 24, 26 is formed in the general shape shown in FIGURE 3, and comprises a solid generally trapezoidal member advantageously formed of refractory material. In this example, each ingate is provided with a pair of shoulders 36, 38 having a channel 40 therebetween. Channel 40 is adapted, in conjunction with upper mold section 14, to provide the ingate or passage 32 through which the molten feed material is passed from the runners 28 or 30 into the mold cavity 12.

Shoulders 36, 3S are used to allow separation of the mold sections 14, 16. If the shoulders are not used it would be necessary to form a passage in mold section 14 to provide connecting ,means between the runner and the flange portion 18 of the mold cavity 12 inwardly spaced from rim 20. Provision of such a passage through a section of the mold would require the material of which the mold is formed to be on both sides of either the fiange or the stem formed in the ingate upon solidication of the molten charge. The ingate members 24, 26 can be removed from the ixture and stern simply by a sharp rap with a hammer.

It will be understood that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without deviating from the principle and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for molding a cast iron fixture having a body and an outwardly extending flange with an outer rim wherein there is provided a mold comprising a drag section and a cope section, said drag section and cope section forming a mold cavity therebetween said mold cavity having a portion adapted to form the body of said fixture and a portion adapted to form the fiange of said fixture said lia-nge forming portion being positioned contiguous to the lower portion of said mold cavity and extending in a direction substantially normal to and outwardly from said body forming portion at its line of connection therewith, and at least one ingate for feeding said molten cast iron into said mold cavity; the improvement comprising, each of said ingates being positioned contiguous to the lower portion of said mold cavity and above that portion of said mold cavity which is adapted to form said outwardly extending fiange, and each of said ingates having its discharge end spaced inwardly of the outer edge of said flange forming portion of said mold cavity and outwardly of said line of connection between said flange forming portion and said body forming portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, including an ingate forming member which has a `first surface partly in contact with said drag section and partly spaced from said drag section, the space between said member and said drag forming a portion of said mold cavity, and a second surface adjacent said cope section, and at least in part spaced from said cope, the space between said cope and said ingate forming member comprising entry means for said molten cast iron into said mold cavity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper surface of said flange forming portion of said cavity lies substantially in a horizontal plane, the lower portion ofthe fiange forming portion curves upwardly and outwardly, and the outermost portion of said flange forming portion lies in said horizontal plane.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the parting line between the male and female sections of the mold is formed at the upper corner of the edge of said mold cavity where the rim of said fixture is formed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 fwherein the parting line between the drag and cope sections of the mold adjacent to the mold cavity is formed in the horizontal plane of the highest portion of the edge of said mold cavity where the rim of said fixture is formed, and a prefabricated ingate forming member is positioned between said drag and said cope sections and is, at least in part, spaced from said cope section to form a cavity therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 101,046 3/1870 Ross i. 164-363 813,405 2/1906 Cook et al 164-363 XR 1,347,168 7/1920 Kuznik 164-362 1,410,777 3/1922 Thomes 164-363 XR OTHER REFERENCES Modern Metals, November 1946, p. 20.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. S. ANNEAR, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

